Happy post-Thanksgiving! Yesterday was all about bounty, with lots of food and family, but today is about one thing, at least food-wise: leftovers. Sure, I love a good turkey sandwich, but my favorite way to use up all my Thanksgiving goodies is to make my Thanksgiving Day Soup. It’s hearty, bone-warming and incorporates all the flavors from the day before.

Herb’s Thanksgiving Day SoupYield: 8 servings

This flexible recipe can be adapted for whatever leftovers you have on hand: add gravy, mashed potatoes or even leftover green bean casserole (I’m kidding about that one, but hey, it could work!).

Directions:
In large pot, add enough cold water to just cover turkey carcass; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour — remove from heat. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer. Let carcass cool slightly, then pick off any remaining meat. Combine broth, reserved turkey meat and remaining ingredients back to the pot and cook at medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.

Next Food Network Star season 6 finalist Herb Mesa is a restaurant-trained chef, a self-taught healthy cuisine chef and a certified personal trainer. Herb teaches “balance through food and fitness,” and works as a personal chef and trainer in Atlanta.